From Here to There
by iloveromance
Summary: An AU version of what could have transpired between Monica and Chandler from the time she was mistaken for Ross' mother to the time they ended up in Chandler's hotel room together in the episode "The One With Ross' Wedding."


**A/N: I've been wanting to write a "Friends" story for a long time and I don't watch the show that much so I'm sure the 'facts' and characters leave much to be desired, but I couldn't help writing a "What happened next?" scenario describing how Monica and Chandler went from being at Ross' wedding to being in the same bed! **

Monica's conversation with Chandler was interrupted by a man she didn't know, who was looking at her as though he wanted to pay his condolences. For God's sake, this was a wedding, not a funeral! But the way Monica felt, it might as well have been a funeral.

"I just wanted to say that Ross is a wonderful young man." The man said.

Monica smiled woodenly. "Well thanks. We like him."

Instead of leaving, the man stared at her with _that look_. And she knew that look well.

"What?" She asked, not caring about the irritation in her voice.

"My God..." The man said. "You must have been a teenager when you had him!"

Her mouth fell open in horror. If ever there had been a more humiliating moment, she'd be hard-pressed to find it. But she was grateful for Chandler's hand on her shoulder. With a sigh she rose from her chair and grabbed another drink, which she consumed in one gulp before having another.

"Look, Monica, don't mind him. He was hammered okay? There's no way you look like you could be Ross' mother!"

"Well then why would he say that?"

"Because he's crazy!" Chandler replied in the same exasperated tone. "He came up to me and thanked me for my very moving performance in _Titanic_!"

She sighed deeply, determined not to cry. How pathetic would that be? Then again after a few more drinks, she could always use the excuse that she was drunk. It had worked wonders before.

"My mother's right. I'll never get married!"

It was a rhetorical statement, and when Chandler touched her shoulder again, the gesture did little to comfort her.

"Please! I'm a single mom with a thirty year old son!"

Chandler tried to suppress a smile but his efforts were unsuccessful. And then she felt him take her hand.

"Come on."

Her eyes widened. "Where?"

"Just come on!"

"Uh, why? I-I mean where?"

"Somewhere that people won't mistake you for Ross' mother! Although I can't really say that I blame that guy."

Her humiliation returned. "What? Chandler! God! How can you say that?"

He stared at her, probably thinking that she was an idiot. But there was something in his eyes...

"Chandler why are you looking at me like that? God, I am pathetic if you think I look old enough to be Ross' mother!"

"That's not what I meant. And your mother is very beautiful."

At this she scoffed. "Oh right. My mother's beautiful. Chandler-."

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "Come on."

In a daze she followed him through the reception hall and into the hotel lobby where he led her to the nearest elevator.

"Chandler it's sweet of you to walk me to my room but it's not necessary."

"I'm glad you think so, but I wasn't going to take you to your room."

"Oh... Then where-."

She stopped suddenly when they paused in front of a very familiar room number. And her heart raced when she saw him take out his key and insert it in the lock.

"T-this is your room..."

The door opened and he smiled brightly. "So it is! Imagine that!"

"B-but what are we doing in here?"

He took her hand and led her inside, shutting the door behind him.

"At least in here no one can say that you look old enough to be Ross' mother. Have a seat. Would you like a drink?"

"Um... No I'm fine, thanks. I-I'm a bit dizzy actually. I think I will sit down."

The room moved slightly as she sat on the bed and she was all too aware of the sweet way he was holding onto her making sure that she wouldn't fall.

"You all right?"

"I-I'm fine. Thanks. So... you never answered my question."

"What question is that?"

"What are we doing up here?"

"Oh right... Well, I felt bad about what that guy said to you and I thought you could use a friend."

"Right... Well... Thanks for what you said about... my mother. But... did you really mean it?"

"Yes. You couldn't possibly look old enough to be Ross' mother!"

"Thanks, but I meant the other thing."

"What other thing?"

"About you seeing how that guy could mistake me for my mother."

"Right..."

"What did you mean by that?"

He swallowed hard. "Um, well... I just meant that... she's beautiful and you're beautiful, so..."

His words made her gasp. "Y-you really think I'm beautiful?"

He never took his eyes off of her as he touched her chin with his fingertips. "Oh yeah..."

"Chandler, I never... This is just..."

He said nothing and their faces moved closer and closer until their lips met in a series of heated kisses. She thought nothing of the fact that she was kissing her best friend; a man with whom she had shared all of her innermost thoughts and dreams and even some of her most intimate details about her dates. And yet here she was kissing him as though they had been in love for years.

Perhaps they had-in another life maybe... a life where she wasn't mistaken for her own mother.

The kisses continued and she was suddenly glad that she'd chosen to wear a sleeveless dress that accentuated her shoulders. And the way Chandler was massaging them as his mouth caressed hers was the closest thing to heaven that she'd ever experienced. It had been far too long since she'd felt like this. But it was wrong.

Abruptly, she pulled way in an attempt to catch her breath.

"What's wrong?"

"Um... This... I-I mean, this isn't just your room. It's Ross's too! What if he comes back and sees us?"

"He won't."

"But you don't know that!"

"Monica, this is the night before his wedding! He's with Emily here in London. His bachelor hormones are screaming for one final night of senseless passion before he is thrown into the hell called marriage!"

Her heart sank. "What?"

"Um... Nothing. But Monica there's no way he's coming back here tonight. It's just you and I."

She couldn't stop staring at him. Before she knew what she was doing, her hands trembled as she slid the jacket from his shoulders and loosened his tie. And slowly she began to unbutton the buttons of his shirt.

He kissed her again and again; a slow series of passionate kisses unlike any she'd ever experienced before.

"Where have you been all my life?"

He smiled and caressed her cheek. "Right across the hall."

"That's too far away." She said against his mouth.

"Well in that case maybe we should make up for lost time."

"Sounds good to me." She said, gasping lightly when she felt him reach for the zipper of her dress. The sound of it opening was strangely seductive and only increased her desire for him.

And then something wonderful and completely unexpected happened...

**_(Fade to much later)_**

The hotel room was dark, save for the moonlight that streamed through the window.

Their clothes scattered across the floor, Monica rested her head against Chandler's chest. "I-I can't believe we just did that!"

Chandler stroked her hair. "You're not sorry, are you?"

"Um, no... I just... You're my best friend."

"Monica, I promise this has no bearing on our friendship and no matter what happens... I'll always be there for you."

"I can't believe we just did that!" Monica said again.

Chandler leaned his head against the headboard and sighed. "You're right. I guess this was a mistake. I'm sorry Monica."

She took his face in her hands and kissed him. "That's not what I meant. I meant... I can't believe we just did that only once! Because everyone knows that practice makes perfect!"

At this Chandler laughed and kissed her again as they fell into the sheets and blankets. "I was hoping you'd say that."

**THE END**


End file.
